Disposable – Union Theatre, Southwark

Writer: Becky Bond
Director: Elodie Foray

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

“Impactful”

4 / 5

It’s Megan’s second year at University – she’s living with four of her best mates and building up a TikTok following for her ‘day in the life’ videos that showcase a behind the scenes glimpse of all the pre-drinks and parties that happen on campus.

Roped into Megan’s (Becky Bond) videos, are her flatmates – ‘mum’ of the group Lucy (Amaarah Roze) who’s in a long-term relationship and loves an early night, Sam (Sukey Willis) who’s already flunked out of Uni once and is determined not to do it again, Jacob (Paddy Lintin), a typical lad who loves girls, the gym and getting drunk, and Will (William Huke), shy and sensitive, he’s more interested in LOTR than going out and getting plastered. It’s a well-balanced group, that riff off each other well and create a genuinely fun on-stage dynamic, with their strong chemistry and enjoyable banter. The likeable student friendship group is brilliantly relatable, and allows the audience to completely invest during the light-hearted first act.

The bombshell that one of them has been accused of rape is revealed with excellently climatic suspense, the second act picking up after the exclamation, and dealing with the fallout. Integral conversations are had between the group about consent, spotting signs, showing support, and navigating such an intense accusation. It’s well-written by Bond, and explores a diverse variety of genuine, believable reactions and discussions. Because each of the strong characters are so likeable from the first half, it makes the question of what happened even more impactful. The ‘everyday’ aspect of their friendships and relationships isn’t just completely forgotten about either, which is appreciated, as they still discuss things like Sam’s grades and Lucy’s relationship.

Running at 105 minutes, with an interval on top, there are moments in the second half that drag slightly and could be sharpened to allow better flow – the show excels in its many moments of short, snappy dialogue and swift transitions. Ben Bull’s projections of TikTok videos and their accompanying comments is an excellent addition that immerse the audience into the characters world further. The flashback scene is expertly done, providing a tense, uncomfortable atmosphere as the truth is explored, and is integral to the subsequent conversations around navigating the situation with both the victim and perpetrator. An intriguing show, with a very likeable, talented cast.

Runs until 9th November 2025